Our commitment is to increase the number of students from two-year institutions belonging to underrepresented or health disparities populations who obtain undergraduate degrees in the sciences and pursue graduate education and careers in the biomedical sciences. This will be accomplished by continuing to develop the partnership between Stony Brook University and Nassau, Suffolk, and Queensborough Community Colleges. [unreadable] [unreadable] The goals of our program are: 1) to identify eligible students at the two-year institutions interested in the biomedical sciences; 2) to motivate these students to seek careers in the biomedical sciences; 3) to help them gain confidence in their abilities by exposure to research scientists and laboratory techniques; 4) to create a supportive environment, through mentoring, counseling and group activities; 5) to promote an awareness of the opportunities available in the biomedical sciences; and 6) to create a model for partnerships between two-year institutions and research universities that will outline how other institutions may meet these objectives. [unreadable] [unreadable] Our objectives are being met by recruiting up to twenty-four eligible students into the program each year and 1) providing these students with the techniques and skills to understand and use the basic tools of molecular biology; 2) providing students with research projects; 3) providing students with the opportunity for internships with research faculty; 4) providing students with up-to-date knowledge from current researchers; 5) providing students with tutoring from more advanced undergraduate and graduate students; 6) providing mentors for all accepted students; 7) providing students with opportunities to present their work at local and national meetings; 8) educating the students about and easing the transition process from a two-year to a four-year institution; 9) providing financial support for BioPREP students who transfer to Stony Brook; and 10) assisting students in applying to graduate school or in obtaining employment. This project encourages outstanding underrepresented two-year college students to pursue careers in biomedical research. This will increase the numbers of underrepresented students in the research pipeline. This supports the national goal of bringing a more diverse population into biomedical research careers. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]